Vintage comic book ads that were too good to be true. Advertisements in comic books have promised unbelievable products for decades. Seamonkeys documentary explores toy creators dark side. Sea monkeys were intensely marketed in comic books throughout the 1960s and early 1970s using illustrations by the comic book illustrator joe orlando. The name instant life was replaced with the more marketfriendly seamonkeys, a moniker inspired by the brine shrimps long tails and ability to live in water. Having to be so cynical see more ideas about vintage comic books, vintage comics and comic books. Vintage ad darling pet monkeys on space probes with heman voices sell comic books by jbcurio an assortment of marvel comics advertisers. When i was a teen, a novelty shop opened up in downtown siloam springs for just a couple of weeks, and i got the snake nut can there. This process takes no more than a few hours and well send you an email once approved. Sea monkeys is a book that deserves your attention and your respect. Campy comic books, crimefighters, and culture of the swinging sixties, coming this winter. Yes i know they were pants now but at the time i imagined these things really worked. Mans account of ordering a live monkey from comic book ad.
Because telling you what i liked and didnt like in such a format would be untrue to the book. What kid didnt want to use their allowance to buy these magnificent pets. It is an insightful look into, not only the recent past, but also the underbelly of kris saknussemm, author of some of my favorite books, i. Nov 01, 2012 the only thing i can say in this little cutesy frontmatter part i usually do would be to say this. One of the ubiquitous and most intriguing ads that could be found in the pages of a comic book were those for sea monkeys, an underwater family of weird little mammalian fish that you could keep all to your own. George has the story of one fan who bought one, which resulted in an er visit and 28 stitches.
What was your first experience with an actual comic book mailorder item. Honestly i paused 3 times to finish watching that ad, because its too embarrassing to look at sorry tom. Now the comic books that i bought werent advertising sea monkeys, they were advertising irritatingly fashionable vans shoes, games like mortal kombat, with its almost cult like fervor, and there were double page ads for bigname movies. Sea monkey sea monkeys toy funny comic ad t shirt achtung t. Remember all those ads in the back of your comic books. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. It shows a royal family of sea creatures, each with two feet that end in flippers, an eellike tail, two arms. A lovely book, designed by the awardwinning graphic designer, lia ribacchi.
Never ordered them, but they advertised them a lot in comics back in the day. Look for an interview with jose delbo, the artist behind the majority of the dell monkees comics, in michael eurys upcoming book heroagogo. These ads are as much a part of the history and lore of comic books as the stories themselves. Monkey sea monkey do sea monkey behavioral studies. Apr 25, 2014 monkey madness in the spring of 1968, two young brothers ordered a live monkey from a comic book ad. Awesome ad for everyones favorite mailaway brine shrimp, sea monkeys. The battle over the seamonkey fortune the new york times. Seamonkey these are a type of fairy shrimp not true shrimp, but a branchiopod. Love the graphics of the happy family of sea monkeys in the picture. Ive underestimated kris saknussemms ability as a writer, and this is coming from someone who okay, so. An updated ad campaign began to appear in comic books in 1964.
The stories writer unknown reflected the zany tone of the television series, with vetaran comic pro jose delbo providing some very nice artwork featuring cute and clever cartoony characitures of. Not in passing as i usually did, but it screamed at me, and demanded my attention. I was misled, because my early encounters with comicbook novelties were resoundingly positive. False advertising of science can still be fascinating. Apr 30, 20 mom took my comic book and actually read the ad, giving me false hope. Sea monkeys that could live in a goldfish bowl and be trained to perform tricks. We are temporarily closed but will reopen monday, april 20th, and begin accepting orders again friday april 17th. So heres a semipost to get things started not actually a comic book ad, but a fascinating article about the comic book ad mainstay, seamonkeys, and what has happened to the creators widow in recent years. This ad has got to be the ultimate fantasy of every monkey mask owner. Having grown up in the late 60s and 70s this collection of short reminiscences speaks volumes to me. Retro comic books and their amazing ads sea monkeys, my. If todays generation y and zers accuse us baby boomers of being cynical and distrustful, well, i for one blame it all on comic books.
A 1978 comic book ad for sea monkeys, with art by the comic book artist joe orlando, who would serve as vice president of dc comics and associate. More items in toy soldier and funny comic book ad tees. Red strip on top of cover when the monkees join the spy service. The shocking true tale of the mad genius who invented seamonkeys.
Mom took my comic book and actually read the ad, giving me false hope. Thats like 250 dollars to the people in the future reading this ad. I saw the movie boss baby with my family and, at one point in the film, theres this giant sea monkey aquarium. Best childrens books about monkeys and apes 45 books. It is a subsidiary to the list of fictional primates. May 12, 2015 he secured the services of cartoonist joe orlando, who designed and illustrated a series of comic book ads. Best childrens books about monkeys and apes score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book.
Barclays 174page book is heavy on popculture references and tongueincheek humor, including chapters. The term seamonkeys sometimes unhyphenated is a trademark used to sell them as a novelty gift. Watch this minidocumentary on the history of the pop culture pet sensation seamonkeys. Collecting volumes 3 and 4 of the popular comic book series. The evolution of the sock monkey is evident in these books, as he grows from innocent gatherer of salamanders to maniacal burner of planets in the final issue.
The comic book squirrel monkeys posted by an infinity of monkeys 14 comments total 7 users marked this as a favorite i remember wondering if those monkey ads were real. A proper adult car, depicted in a proper adult way, in a comic book. It was a car ad, and not for a cute, little, quirky car, but for the same kind of car that my friends mum drives. What kid did not order or dream of ordering such classics as sea monkeys, polaris subs or xray glasses that we saw in the comic books. Whether its an old commercial or a book from your past, it belongs in. Classic comic book ads collection by victor alvarez. The new name was based on their saltwater habitat, together with the supposed resemblance of the animals tails to those of monkeys. The shocking true tale of the mad genius who invented sea. Unfollow the monkees comic book to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. In the mid1990s, sea monkeys made a triumphant comeback when they began being distributed by exploratoys. Incorrect book the list contains an incorrect book please.
Apr 17, 2016 the battle over the sea monkey fortune. I was misled, because my early encounters with comic book novelties were resoundingly positive. Now that the toy was old enough to be retrohip, both kids and the adults who grew up with the sea monkey phenomenon were buying sea monkeys. Monkey madness in the spring of 1968, two young brothers ordered a live monkey from a comic book ad.
These are posted for the enjoyment of all comic book fans. Id like to scan the entire comic its pages and pages long, and with the snow coming my way, i might have the time. Tim tate originally performed this for the live storytelling. What was your first experience with an actual comicbook mailorder item. Mmmm, anyone who invests that kind of money in monkey shines certainly must know how to please a woman. He secured the services of cartoonist joe orlando, who designed and illustrated a series of comic book ads. They have also transcended their comicbook ad origins to be sold in national toystore chains.
The first time i ever saw comics for sale was in 1979, when the. Glowinthedark tie 15 enticing vintage comic book ads. Old comic books vintage comic books vintage comics vintage advertisements vintage ads sea monkeys retro toys 1960s toys old comics. Nov 03, 2008 comic book resources has a fantastic firsthand account of ordering a live miniature monkey from a comic book advertisment. Nov 05, 2009 recently i noticed an ad in a comic book. This is a list of fictional nonhuman primates in comics. The comic book squirrel monkeys posted by an infinity of monkeys 14 comments total 7 users marked this as a favorite i remember wondering if. We had sea monkeys in superman dc comics, we had it in harvey comics, archie, in fact every comic book on the market we bought 303 million pages of advertising a year for years. For the child seized by the creative spirit, when construction toys like legos were simply not enough, sea monkeys satisfied a tykes urge to meddle in the realm of biology. Dial b for blog the worlds greatest comic blogazine. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search.
Private midnight, reverend america and the now, sea monkeys. The product was heavily marketed in the 1960s and 70s, especially in comic books, and remains a presence in popular culture. Demarais, who is 39, became fascinated with mailorder comic novelities as a kid in smalltown siloam springs, arkansas, where hes lived most of his life. In only five minutes you will actually hatch a whole tumbling, playful, happy troupe of seamonkeys that are even more fun than a zoo full of chattering, howling, jungle monkeys. This is a monkees comic book that i have in my collection. The only thing i can say in this little cutesy frontmatter part i usually do would be to say this. Im attempting to get back into the swing of things and start posting on my regular schedule again. Aided by an intensive ad campaign appearing in every comic book in the 1960s and 70s, sea monkeys sparked the imagination and intrigued the junior mad scientists of america. I looked forward to sneaking my monkey into school, inside my pocket.
Barclays 174page book is heavy on popculture references and tongueincheek humor, including chapters entitled how sea monkeys benefit the world at large. Until you earn points all your submissions need to be vetted by other comic vine users. Photograph of the monkees on front cover the boys from m. Seamonkeys are a novelty aquarium pet, a type of brine shrimp that undergoes cryptobiosis. A 1978 comic book ad for seamonkeys, with art by the comic book artist joe orlando, who would serve. Ht lowbrow comics, comicconmovie, 80s comic ads, scarymother. Spam or selfpromotional the list is spam or selfpromotional. Hed be more fun than wet seamonkeys and i could dress him up in doll clothes. Seamonkeys vintage 1971 comic book ad 11 x 14 poster etsy. Old comic book ads xray specs sea monkeys kit charles atlas workout if something seems to good to be true. According to legend, an assassin, fleeing from a failed political coup, made his way through the mountains trying to escape those that would collect the bounty on his head.
And the sea monkey people were v read the rest of this entry. First, they were just miniature shrimp with an incredibly short lifespan. How many of us who grew up in the 1960s and early 70s were. Get an adfree experience with special benefits, and directly support reddit. For seamonkeys, the ads portrayed a cheerful family of humanoid creatures bearing crowns of some sort and hanging out by their underwater castle. Seamonkeys were intensely marketed in comic books throughout the 1960s and early 1970s using. There are a few upsetting truths about sea monkeys. Comic book resources has a fantastic firsthand account of ordering a live miniature monkey from a comic book advertisment.
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